The present invention relates to switches, relays, circuit breakers and the like, and more particularly to means for preventing operation of electrical appliances beyond a predetermined period of time.
A problem for many people is inadvertent failure to turn off an appliance after it is used, resulting in wasted energy and undue wear and tear of the appliance. This is especially true for older people that may be in various stages of senility. Older people also are increasingly susceptible to becoming incapacitated after turning on an appliance. Moreover, certain appliances that consume large amounts of energy, such as stoves, heaters, and irons, are especially hazardous when left on while unattended.
Thus there is a need for a way to limit the period of time that an appliance can be operated unattended. For owners of housing and other facilities that are used by others, it would be impractical to require such limiting means to be a part of each and every dangerous appliance that might be used in the facility. This is because such appliances would be unduly expensive, and policing the requirement would, at least in many cases, involve unreasonable invasions of privacy.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that automatically interrupts power to an electrical appliance after the appliance has been in operation for a predetermined period of time, that is easy to install and use, and is inexpensive to produce.